Lushan Statement of Intent of World Heritage Cultural Landscape in East Asia Forum (2013)

site_0778_0001-750-0-20140129125225 — Named after the renowned World Heritage Site of Mount Lushan, in Jiang Xi Province of China, the “Lushan Statement of Intent” was launched in Beijing with the aim to raise national and regional attention on the essential interaction between human and landscape while conserving heritage sites. (Lushan National Park © Vincent Ko Hon Chiu)

Preface: The Lushan Statement of Intent of World Heritage Cultural Landscape in East Asia Forum (2013), (hereinafter referred to as “Lushan Statement of Intent” ) , was adopted by the Lushan Forum on World Heritage Cultural Landscape in East Asia, Lushan, Jiangxi, China, 24-26 Oct., 2013.

The Lushan Forum on World Heritage Cultural Landscape in East Asia (in Chinese:《东亚世界遗产文化景观庐山论坛》) (hereinafter referred to as “the Lushan Forum” ) is co-organized by National Park Agency, Ministry of Housing Urban-Rural Development of China, UNESCO Beijing Office, Jiangxi Provincial Department of Housing Urban-Rural Development, People’s Government of Jiujiang Municipality, Lushan Scenic and Historic Area Administration Bureau, and the World Heritage Institute for Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific (WHITRAP Shanghai). The Lushan Forum brought together delegates from China, Germany, Britain, South Korea, North Korea, Mongolia and Hong Kong, Macao and included over 100 participants.

The Lushan Forum was entitled of the World Heritage (WH) in the category of Cultural landscape (CL) in East Asia, which lasted three days long. It discussed the understanding and define the value of the Cultural Landscape in terms of World Heritage, especially the implementation of the management and conservation of the CL of WH in the East Asia Region.

Through facilitated discussions, the groups will consider the issues rose during the Forum as well as reflect upon and provide suggestions on the proposed of the draft of “Lushan Statement of Intent of World Heritage Cultural Landscape in East Asia Forum.” (in Chinese:《东亚世界遗产文化景观论坛庐山共识》)

On the 26th Oct., 2013, as the closure of the *Lushan Forum on World Heritage Cultural Landscape in East Asia* at Kuling Town, Lushan, Jiangxi Province, P.R. China, the draft of “*Lushan World Heritage Cultural Landscape Statement of Intent*” was proposed and adopted by all representatives. As the product of intensive discussions, the Lushan Statement of Intent was announced by the UNESCO Beijing Office during a press conference in Beijing on 10 December 2013. The Statement is the world’s *first* statement of intent that specifically addresses the conservation of World Cultural Landscapes, improving their management while reducing the harm caused by poorly planned tourism and urban development.

The Lushan Statement of Intent was presented on 10 December 2013, in Beijing at a press conference organized by the UNESCO Beijing Office with support of the Lushan Scenic and Historic Area Administration Bureau. It was attended by more than twenty-five main stream media in China, and more than thirty professionals caring for World Heritage cultural landscape, such as officials from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) as well as the National Tourism Administration. More than 15 World Heritage site experts and managers also participated.

The Lushan Statement of Intent emphasizes that “a clear ambition must exist which reflects the need for an integral balance to be achieved between people, nature and the heritage ideals of all World Cultural Landscapes”, in order to guide the conservation and management of heritage sites. Such an approach would balance the relationship between man and nature, and contribute to achieve sustainable development of the heritage itself and beyond.

In particular, the Lushan Statement of Intent provided key guiding principles on the legal framework, management, planning, research, participation of local communities and public awareness-raising. The Statement represents a shared commitment to the conservation and long-term development of cultural landscapes in East Asia.

During the launch, Mr. Abhimanyu Singh, Director and Representative of UNESCO Office in Beijing quoted the Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi’s concept of “Unity of Man and Nature”, which reflects the basis of the “Cultural landscape” concept that represents the delicate balance between people, nature and heritage. Mr. Zhao Jianrong, representative of the MOHURD, said that

“The establishment of the Lushan Statement of Intent features the conservation and management work of World Heritage cultural landscape has moved to a new period with clear vision and measures. It represents a shared commitment to the conservation and long-term development of cultural landscapes in East Asia.”

**Mount Lu** or **Lushan** (simplified Chinese: 庐山) is situated in the northern part of Jiangxi province in southeastern China, and is one of the most renowned mountains in the country. The oval-shaped mountains are about 25 km long and 10 km wide, and neighbors Jiujiang city and the Yangtze River to the north, Nanchang city to the south, and Poyang Lake to the east. Its highest point is Dahanyang Peak, reaching 1,474 m above sea level, and is one of the hundreds of steep peaks that towers above a sea of clouds that encompass the mountains for almost 200 days out of the year. Mount Lu is known for its grandeur, steepness, and beauty, and is part of **Lushan National Park**, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, and a prominent tourist attraction, especially during the summer months when the weather is cooler. **Lushan** was a summer resort for Western missionaries in China. Absalom Sydenstricker, the father of Pearl Buck was one of the first five missionaries to acquire property in the Kuling Estate on the mountain.

The Lushan Statement of Intent is the outcome of the Lushan Forum on World Heritage Cultural Landscape in East Asia, held on 24-26 October 2013 in the locality which in 1996 became the first World Heritage Cultural Landscape in China to be inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the past five years, Mount Lushan has also been selected as beneficiary of a pilot project on “Conservation and Management of World Heritage Sites in China” implemented by UNESCO thanks to the generous support from the Mercedes-Benz Star Fund.

Lushan Statement of Intent of World Heritage Cultural Landscape in East Asia Forum (2013, full text in Chinese)

《东亚世界遗产文化景观论坛庐山共识》

2013年10月24-26日

中国江西庐山

为回应并记录多元文化景观过程的意义所在，更好地促进对于世界遗产文化景观管理利用经验，2013年10月24至26日，“东亚世界遗产文化景观”论坛在中国江西庐山世界遗产文化景观地举办。论坛由联合国教科文组织驻华代表处主办，庐山风景名胜区管理局承办。包括中国在内的8个国家和地区从事世界遗产管理和研究的官员、专家代表参加了此次论坛。

世界遗产文化景观的独特性反映和展示在：

人与自然不可分割、和谐互动方式的多样性
使现存传统文化和正在消亡的文化的遗存得以真实保存的纽带
强大信念、传统艺术习俗里所赋予的人与自然之间的特殊精神关系
象征着人类创造技能和传统生活方式的社会价值观
是需要传递给后代的珍贵“活景观”遗产

与会专家们对作为世界遗产文化景观的标志性的上述独特的价值达成共识，此外，为了更好地理解世界遗产和文化景观的价值，各专家学者明确了对文化景观演变过程的针对性研究目标的重要性和必要性，以指导这些特殊区域的保护和组织管理工作。论坛与会者们坚信：

必须拥有一个明确的目标来平衡人与自然的关系以及实现所有世界文化景观的共同理想。

与会各方鼓励所有与东亚地区世界遗产文化景观的管理机构和个人能够与利益相关者合作，认识并采纳以下共识：

法律上

对有价值的自然和人造景观特征，遗产资源以及那些通过人与环境互动而获得的经验和联系，特别是与传统土地应用实践或突出的文化与精神传统相关联的特征给予系统而全面的法律保护，以实现其整体性和长期的适应力。

组织上

确保每个世界遗产文化景观都能有一个负责任的管理当局，给予充分的专业，充足的财力和人力去确立一个长期发展目标并付之于实践。
鼓励当地社区居民积极参与到关乎他们利益的活动。
确保协调和可持续的管理能够针对于改变提出合理有效的决策，以使具有突出普遍价值的资源的整体性得以保护并实现资源的合理利用。
鼓励开展专业性的学术研究和应用传统知识，为决策和管理提供强而有力的理论基础。
整合世界遗产地及其周边地区的规划和管理工作，并实现二者的可持续发展利用。
促进世界遗产文化景观，成为可持续发展的优良典范，并使得管理经验得以分享和传播。

操作上

维持特定的、传统的土地应用形态和可持续农业发展、林业系统；反映特定景观文化特征并且与景观相和谐的人类活动。
通过保护创造物种的技能，传统、技艺和管理系统来保护土地应用实践而形成的物种的生活状态，同时促进生态多样性。
通过积极鼓励特色的当地传统、信仰、生计、社会关系、艺术或文学表达，来实现地区突出普遍价值的整体性。
创造更多的自然和文化产物和功能所提供的社会和经济机会。
提供具有创造性地优质游客服务，配备恰当的休闲与娱乐设施，增进学习经验，来增强游客的舒适度，并促进当地人社会经济的良好发展。
通过传播公开信息、创造机会来体验当地特质，来提高公众意识，使民众了解世界遗产文化景观的价值，并且认识到它带来的好处。

所有东亚世界遗产文化景观论坛与会代表达成以上共识。

二零一三年十一月二十二日

Signatories pose for a photo with the signed bilingual original copy of The Lushan Statement of Intent.

Press Review

“Heritage and conservation experts have published the world’s first statement of intent that specifically addresses the conservation of World Cultural Landscapes, improving their management while reducing the harm caused by poorly planned tourism and urban development. The Lushan Statement of Intent was announced during a press conference in Beijing on Dec 10, and reflects the work of experts and officials from eight East Asian countries and UNESCO.” […] China Daily, “Landmark UNESCO statement aims to conserve World Cultural Landscapes” (2013-12-11 16:01)
“Booming tourism is threatening world heritage sites in east Asian countries, especially China, a UN expert told a forum in east China’s Jiangxi Province on Friday. Peter Ogden, a project expert for the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Beijing office, made the comments at the Lushan Forum on World Heritage Cultural Landscape in East Asia.” […] Xinhua News, “Tourism threatens China’s world heritage sites: UN expert” (2013-10-25 19:34:49)

Category

Statement

Date

24-26 Oct., 2013.

Promulgation

The Lushan Forum on World Heritage Cultural Landscape in East Asia, Lushan, Jiangxi, China, 24-26 Oct., 2013.

Descriptions

The Lushan Statement of Intent emphasizes that “clear ambition must exist which reflects the need for an integral balance to be achieved between people, nature and the heritage ideals of all World Cultural Landscapes“, in order to guide the conservation and management of heritage sites. Such an approach would balance the relationship between man and nature, and contribute to achieve sustainable development of the heritage itself and beyond.
The Lushan Statement of Intent provides key guiding principles on the legal framework, management, planning, research, participation of local communities and public awareness-raising.
The Lushan Statement of Intent represents a shared commitment to the conservation and long-term development of cultural landscapes in East Asia.